Ganache

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Jennifer Field

In its simplest form, ganache is an emulsion of equal parts of chocolate and heavy cream.

Small amounts of corn syrup or butter are sometimes called for in some recipes.

By varying the proportion of chocolate to cream, or the temperature, you can vary the texture of the finished product.

Increase the cream to make a ganache that, when chilled, you can whip like cream.

Increase the chocolate and you get a truffle filling.

Pour it warm over a cake and you have a thin glaze, or pour it over ice cream, and voilà:  a simple chocolate sauce.

Use it to sandwich cookies together.  Or cakes.  Or meringue discs.  Possibilities are nearly limitless.

Ganache can be made with dark, milk or white chocolate, but make sure that you use high quality chocolate.  With only two basic ingredients, inferior chocolate can’t be camouflaged.

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Ganache
 

What You Need
  • 1 part cream to 3 parts chocolate=glaze (ex: 8 oz cream to 24 oz chocolate)
  • 1 part cream to 2 parts chocolate=truffle center (ex: 8 oz cream to 16 oz. chocolate)
  • 1 part cream to 1 part chocolate=filling (ex: 8 oz cream to 8 oz. chocolate)
  • ***Proportions will be different for white and milk chocolates, and because they contain milk solids, they can be a bit temperamental and more susceptible to breaking.

What To Do
  1. Chop your chocolate fine and put it in a big stainless steel bowl.
  2. Heat cream (and corn syrup/butter if the recipe calls for it) just to a boil.
  3. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.
  4. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes (this, in effect, tempers the two ingredients: the temperature of the chocolate rises while the cream’s temperature lowers. It’s easier to make them combine when the temperatures are similar).
  5. Then, stir the mixture with a whisk slowly to combine into a rich, shiny emulsion. Don’t whisk quickly; you don’t want to create air bubbles.

Other Stuff to Know
Once you have your lovely ganache, there are so many things that you can do with it: If you pour it while it is still warm, you can glaze cakes, eclairs, cream puffs or even doughnuts with it. Chill a 1:1 ganache and whip with a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Use this to fill and/or frost a cake. Chill a 1:2 ganache and scoop with a small disher to make traditional truffle centers.

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Related posts:

  1. Flourless Chocolate Cake
  2. White Cake
  3. Chocolate Cake
  4. Cream Cheese Frosting
  5. Yellow Cake

About Jennifer Field

Former Special Education teacher turned pastry chef. Now I marry my two passions by teaching people how to cook and bake through my website, blog and my video series.
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  • uriko

    can heavy cream be substitued with something else?

    • http://www.pastrychefonline.com/ onlinepastrychef

      My first question would be why the substitute? Is it dietary (like dairy free) or you just don’t want the calories. That might change how I answer the question. But, you could sub milk and butter (although at that point, you might as well use cream). You could also try w/full fat coconut milk or even a neutral oil. Or coconut oil/olive oil if you like the flavor of those to come through in your ganache. I don’t have any specific recipes or proportion recommendations, but I’m sure a search would bring you some good results. search “no cream ganache.” :)

      • uriko

        see where i live its very very hard to heavy cream…and i did find it once loong back but it was very very expensive so i was looking for an alternative when its a very festive time then i am okay with the cost but when its not …. i find 25% fat cream here is it possible to use that in some way?

        • http://www.pastrychefonline.com/ onlinepastrychef

          Yes, you can absolutely use that. You may have to add a touch of butter to enrich it, but I would go for it, uriko!

          • uriko

            so semisweet cooking chocolate and 25% fat cream with a little bit of butter and im good?

          • http://www.pastrychefonline.com/ onlinepastrychef

            You should be just fine. Are you using it as frosting or as filling or truffle centers? I just ask because you may have to manipulate the texture a bit by chilling it down some (and it should be stored in the fridge, regardless). Let it come to room temp before serving though:)

          • uriko

            i intend to use it as a frosting….in what proportion should i use chocolate and cream and butter?

          • http://www.pastrychefonline.com/ onlinepastrychef

            You’ll want a 1:1 ratio of choc to cream/butter. So maybe 4 oz choc:3.5 oz light cream and .5 oz butter. Scale up to make enough to cover your cake.

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